A major international project entitled
“Multimodal Data Analysis For Monitoring Invasive Aquatic Weeds In
India” has been sanctioned with Dr. G. Nagendra Prabhu, Principal
Investigator of the Centre for Research on Aquatic Resources of our
College as a collaborator. The partnering institutions include the
University of Stirling (leading partner) and University of Strathclyde
from United Kingdom along with International Crops Research Institute
for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) and Indian Institute of Plant Health
Management (IIPHM) in Hyderabad. The project is funded by the Royal
Academy of Engineering, London under its “Frontiers Follow-on” scheme
which comes under the Global Challenges Research Fund of the UK
Government.
It is a multi-national, multi-institutional and
multi-disciplinary project which aims to develop effective methods that
combine the use of multiple data sources (satellite and drone
observations and ground-based sensors) to monitor the spread of invasive
aquatic weed, water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) in the Kuttanad
region of Kerala. Algorithms will be devised combining multi-modal data
for effective detection, pilot trials will be carried out and
sustainability ensured through training and dissemination activities.
The total grant sanctioned is British Pounds (£) 2.99 Lakhs,
approximately Rupees 2.8 crores for the project lasting 3 years.
Dr.
Prabhu has more than 25 years of research experience and has
established the Centre for Research on Aquatic Resources in the College
in 2011. He has developed many innovative rural technologies for the
value addition of aquatic weeds such as water hyacinth and is a
recipient of more than 20 national and international awards and
fellowships. Currently he is the Chairman, U. G. Board of Studies in
Biotechnology of the University of Kerala and a life member of 5
national Scientific Societies.
For more information, please contact 9495017901.
Dr. P. R. Unnikrishna Pillai
28-02-2020 Principal
